The Amazon Giant Millipede Uses an Ingenious Strategy to Catch Bats with Its Potent Venom.
The giant millipede captures a bat resting in a cave. (Video: Life Underground)
The Amazon Giant Millipede (Scolopendra gigantea) is the largest millipede species in the world, measuring over 30 cm in length and known for its voracious appetite. Equipped with extremely potent venom, they have evolved to become experts at hunting bats, according to IFL Science.
In a study conducted in 2005, scientists from the University of the Andes reported that S. gigantea preys on three species of bats in Venezuela: Mormoops megalophylla, Pteronotus davyi, and Leptonycteris curasoae. Despite being the largest among millipede species, bats are still quick-moving prey that are significantly larger than the millipede itself. However, this millipede has developed two effective strategies for successful hunting.
Similar to trapdoor spiders, the giant millipede prefers to hide in caves. They often crawl up the walls and ceilings of the cave to reach resting bats. They can even catch flying bats mid-air by hanging from the ceiling and snatching unsuspecting victims within reach. The second strategy that enables the millipede to subdue larger prey is its extremely potent venom. The first pair of legs at the head of the millipede has evolved into claw-like structures known as forcipules, specifically designed to inject venom into their prey.
The giant millipede uses its last 5 pairs of legs to hang and grip the bat tightly.
The research team once witnessed an S. gigantea clinging to the cave ceiling while feeding on the carcass of a M. megalophylla bat. It only used its last 5 pairs of legs to hang suspended, gripping the bat tightly with its first 8 pairs of legs (including the forcipules). The millipede began eating around the bat’s neck, continuing to the chest and then to the abdomen. When the researchers collected two specimens, the millipede had consumed approximately 35% of the bat’s body weight.
Although the giant millipede poses a significant threat to bats, snakes, and many other small vertebrates, they are not overly dangerous to humans. The bite from the millipede causes pain, swelling, tissue necrosis, and infection, but it is not usually lethal unless there is a second sting or anaphylactic shock. A study in 2021 revealed that the millipede’s venom contains toxic proteins derived from bacteria and fungi. This type of interspecies exchange occurs through a phenomenon known as “horizontal gene transfer”, promoting the movement of genetic material between less related organisms.
